Means for launching a ship&#39;s lifeboat, raft, or similar appliance



March 13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 2,545,011

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT,

RAFT 0R SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 2,545,011

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT,

RAFT 0R SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March' 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 2,545,011

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT,

RAFT OR SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 1.

, MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT, I

RAFT 0R SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR. 40K/4A/us euaog/wv/L Patented Mar. 13, 1951 MEANS FORLAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFE- BOAT, RAFT, OR SIMILAR APPLIANCE AdrianusVreugdenhil, Amsterdam, Netherlands Application March 10, 1949, SerialNo. 80,733

4 Claims.

This invention relates to means for launching a ships lifeboat, raft orsimilar appliance, and its principal object is an installation wherebysaid appliance can quickly and safely be launched even against a heavylist, in such manner as to be prevented from direct contact with theships side, said arrangement being an improvement of the one disclosedby my prior U. S. specification No. 1,613,367 of January 4, 1927.

According to my present invention, the installation comprises, inaddition to outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ship'sstructure and disposed athwartship, a life boat, falls, boat supportingmembers associated with the falls, a carriage adapted to run on saidtrackways and composed of two wheels or wheel sectors having a diameterexceeding the greatest width of the boat to be handled andinterconnected by an axle having a length exceeding that of the boat,parts supported by the axle and prevented from lengthwise movementrelative thereto for guiding the falls about the axle, said parts beingprovided with elements for suspending the said boat supporting membertherefrom, and means for checking downward movement of the carriageindependently of the downward movement of the boat.

I am aware that it has alreadybeen suggested to provide a life boat,both fore and aft, with a wheel releasably attached thereto and having adiameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat. In this knownarrangement, the boat interconnects the wheels so as to form an integralpart of the carriage, whereas in my novel installation the boat isassociated with a self contained carriage comprising two wheelsinterconnected by an axle.

In order that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled inthe art, I shall now proceed to describe the same in further detail withreference to the annexed more or less diagrammatic drawing, :in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a life boat associated with a carriage inaccordance with my invention, said parts being shown in differentpositions relative to a vessel provided with inclined runways for thecarriage,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of part of the vessel and also of theboat, suspended from its carriage, during the lowering operation,

v Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section-,"of' part 'ofthe boat and of its disengaging gear,

Fig. 4 is a cross section along the line IVIV in Fig. 2, on'an enlargedscale,

Fig. 5 is a front view of part of the device shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a second embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section similar to that shown in Figure 4, however, inanother position during the lowering operation of the boat.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 1 indicates a pair of runways suitablyspaced in the longitudinal direction of the vessel V and forming part ofthe superstructure thereof, the side of the vessel being designated by8. The lower part of each runway i is substantially vertical and flushwith the ships side 8, the upper part sloping towards the water andhaving a considerable'inclination of say SC-40. Inwardly spaced fromeach runway l is a vertical post or stanchion 9, also forming part ofsaid superstructure, for instance, of a deck house, the distance of saidstanchions from one another being substantially equal to that betweenthe hooks or the like by means of which the boat is suspended from itsfalls and which will be referred to hereinafter.

Secured to the vessel intermediate between the stanchions 9 is a doublebarrelled boat winch H! provided as usual with a hand brake and acentrifugal brake. Secured to each barrel is the running part II of oneboat fall, the standing part of which is indicated by H a.

From its barrel, each fall is passed around a sheave I2,- thence arounda pulley I3 secured to the top of the corresponding stanchion 9, asheave I4 and around the sheave of a boat block l5 (see.

also Fig. 4) back to a fixed point near the winch l0.

Sheave I4 is rotatably mounted on a substantially horizontal, tubularaxle l6 having a length exceed ng that of the boat H to. be handled.

Rotatably mounted on' either end of said axle is .a wheel I8 having adiameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat. Each wheel I8 ispro-' being engaged by a cable 20. These cables are led around pulleys2| and l 3a coaxial with pulleys !3 to a common small winch 22. Thepulleys 2| are mounted on abar 23 interconnecting the bends of therunways '1. Alternatively, the winch 22 may be secured to the axle l6 asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2-.

Each boat block l5 (Fig. 4), is provided with a suspension link a andwith a transverse head l5b adapted to be engaged by a bifurcated hookshaped member 24 pivoted as at 25 to a housing 26 rotatably mounted onthe axle l6 and accommodating the sheave 14 said housing being preventedfrom movement lengthwise on axle l6. Opposite pivot 25, member 24 issupported by the head 21a of a screw spindle 21 provided with ahandwheel 21b and cooperating with a nut 28 pivoted as at 29 to housing26, which also accommodates a sheave 30 for guiding the standing part Haof the fall.

Head I51) is provided with a fin l5c adapted to enter into a slot l5d inthe throat of the hook member 24.

Fig. 3 illustrates how the boat IT is suspended from the blocks 15. Eachblock I5 is provided with an eye i5a (Fig. 4) engaging a horizontal bolt3| hinged to the boat about a transverse pivot 31a.

Mounted for rotation in the boat (see Fig. 3) is a longitudinal shaft32, secured to which is a normally horizontal hand lever 32a. Secured toeither end of said shaft is a coaxial bush 3213 having a longitudinalslot and adapted, in one position of the shaft, to straddle a bolt 3!adapted to swing about a transverse pivot am of the boat so as toprevent the bolt from upward swinging movement under the gravity pull ofthe boat, suspended, through the bolt, from link 15a, it beingunderstood that said bolt in its horizontal position is in alignmentwith the shaft 32. If, however, the latter is rotated through 180 bymeans of lever 32a, both bolts 3!] are free to swing upward, through theslots provided in the bushes 32b, so as to disengage their eyes lea.

The drawin still shows guide pulleys 33 for the falls mounted on the bar23, stationary chocks 34 at the upper ends of the runways andcollapsible or removable chocks 35 near the lower ends of the slopingportions of the runways, releasable straps 34a being provided forlocking the wheels 18 to the chocks 34.

In the stowed position, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. l, thecarriage formed by the wheels [8 and the axle I5 is supported on thesloping parts of the runways l and locked, against movement on saidways, by the chocks 36, 35 and the straps 34a, whereas the heads I5bengage the throats of the hook members 214, with their fins I projectingthrough slots hid.

it is pertinent here to remark that in said position the standing partsIla of the falls between sheaves !4 and pulleys I3 enclose only smallangles with the horizontal, so that the pressures exerted by said partson the sheaves 30 hold the housings 26 into such angular positionsrelative to axle It as to keep the throats of members 2G in engagementwith heads 15?), which necessarily always remain vertically below thecenter line of axle IE.

In order to lower the boat, its gripes and lashings (not shown) aredisengaged and the running parts of the falls are tightened by means ofwinch 1B, so that the wheels I8 are urged against the chocks 34,whereupon straps 34a can be released and chocks 35 collapsed or removed.If, now, the hand brake of said winch is released, the boat willdescend, its descending speed being controlled by the centrifugal brakeof the winch referred to above. Owing to the paying out of the falls,the heads 15b of the boat blocks l5 seat themselves on the hook members24, which thereby are loaded by the full weight of the boat, so that thecarriage l6, I8 is posi- 7 thereof.

4 tively compelled to follow the descending mov ment of the boat.

After having moved past the bends of the runways, the boat, togetherwith the carriage, can be arrested at any desired level to allowpassengers and crew to embark.

It will be understood that during the descending motion, first on itsrunways, thereafter on the ships side, the boat is kept in uprightposition and prevented from contact with the ships side, even if theship should roll and pitch. If, owing to excessive rolling or to a heavylist of the vessel, the wheels should temporarily disengage the shipsside, the resiliency of the wheels and the fact that the boat issuspended close to the axle t8 prevent the boat from being smashedagainst the ship when the wheels reengage the vessel on the reversal ofthe roll.

The vertical distance through which the carriage should follow thedescending boat depends upon the height of the waves. Anyhow, thecarriage is to be arrested, by means of the hand brake of winch 22,before the boat is waterborne. Under normal circumstances, the heads libwill then already have disengaged the hook members 2 2, owing to theconsiderable increase of the angles between the standing parts of thefalls and the horizontal (see Fig. 4), so that the boat will continue todescend. If necessary, for instance in case of a sudden list of thevessel caused by inrush or water, the hook members 24 can be urged intodisengaging position by means of the handwheels 211).

At the proper moment, the boat is disengaged from blocks 15 by means ofhandle 32a (Fig. 3).

As a matter of course, the hand brakes of winches i5 and 22 could, ifdesired, be operated by the crew in the boat by means of ropes, asexemplified by rope 36 shown in Fig. 2.

For hoisting the boat after the boat blocks l5 have again been fastenedto the disengaging rear, the winch ill is to be actuated, whereby theheads !5b are urged vertically against the hook members 2 3, so that thecarriage is compelled to follow the upward movement of the boat, whichduring said movement is again protected against contact with the shipsside by the wheels i8. When the carriage passes the bends of the tracksi, the heads I512 again move into the throats oi the hook members 20.Thereupon, the wheels 18 abut against the stationary chocks 34, "whenthe collapsible or removable chocks 35 are put into locking position inany suitable manner, straps 34a are fastened to the wheels, the fallsare given slack, and the gripes and lashings are engaged.

For a low vessel, wheel sectors may be used, the circumferential lengthsof the rims of which being determined by the maximum length of the paththrough which the carriage has to accompany the boat during thedescending motion As a matter of course, the diameter of said wheelsectors should exceed the greatest width of the boat to be handled.Reference is had to Fig. 6 of the drawing, which illustrates a boatlowering and hoisting installation fitted with such wheel sectors. Inthis installation, it is essential for the wheel sectors during theiroutward movement to be positively arrested the moment wherein they reachthe end of the true rolling movement, since otherwise further downwardmovement would result in lateral movement of the axle towards the shipsside, so that the boat would no longer be protected against contact withthe vessel.

According to Fig. 6, in which like parts are indicated by the samereference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2, each wheel sector l8 hasconnected thereto, as at 36, the end of a chain 31, the other end ofwhich is secured as at 38 to the corresponding track 1, the length ofsaid chain being such as to prevent further downward movement of thewheel when this reaches the end of its rolling movement. In thisposition, a projection 39 of the wheel rim engages a cup 40 secured tothe vessel.

Fig. 6 also shows a rope 4|, one end of which is secured to the track asat 42, the other end being secured to the wheel rim as at 39. In theextreme lower position of the wheel sector, shown in full lines, therope 4| is fully stretched. When the sector is being hoisted, the ropeis wound thereon and is accommodated in a circumferential groove of therim thereof, whereas chain 31 is hanging slack. It will be appreciatedthat rope 4| prevents the sector from slipping both during the loweringand the hoisting operation.

It goes without saying that the sector could also be prevented fromslipping during its outward or its inward movement by other means, suchas by a gear rim on the sector cooperating with a rack on the trackway.

It may be stated here that the term life boat in the appended claims isintended to include rafts and similar safety appliances, and that theterm wheel sectors is intended to include sectors extending throughfully 360.

What I claim is:

1. In an installation for handling a ships life boat comprising a pairof outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ships structure anddisposed athwartships, falls from which the boat is suspended, boatsupporting members associated with the falls, a carriage adapted to runon said trackways and composed of two wheel sectors having a diameterexceeding the greatest width of the boat and interconnected by an axlehaving a length exceeding that of the boat, means supported by the axleand prevented from lengthwise movement relative thereto for guiding thefalls about the axle, said means including elements for suspending thesaid boat supporting members therefrom, and means associated with saidcarriage for checking downward movement of the carriage independently ofdownward movement of the boat.

2. In an installation for handling a ships life boat comprising a pairof outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ships structure anddisposed athwartships, falls from which the boat is suspended, boatsupporting members such as blocks associated with the falls, a carriageadapted to run on said trackways and composed of two wheel sectorshaving a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat andinterconnected by an axle having a length exceeding that of the boat,two housings rotatably mounted on said axle but locked against axialmovement relative thereto, a first sheave accommodated by each of saidhousings and rotatable about said axle for guiding one part of thecorresponding fall, a second sheave accommodated by each of saidhousings and rotatably mounted therein for guiding the other part of thecorresponding fallout of contact with the said first sheave, a hookmember associated with each of said housings and adapted to engage thecorresponding boat supporting member, and means associated with saidcarriage for checking downward movement of the carriage independently ofdownward movement of the boat.

3. In an installation for handling a ships life boat comprising a pairof outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ships structure anddisposed athwartships, falls from which the boat is suspended, boatsupporting members such as blocks associated with the falls, a carriageadapted to run on said trackways and composed of two wheel sectorshaving a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat andinterconnected by an axle having a, length exceeding that of the boat,two housings rotatably mounted on said axle but locked against axialmovement relative thereto, a first sheave accommodated by each of saidhousings and rotatable about said axle for guiding one part of thecorresponding fall, a second sheave accommodated by each of saidhousings and rotatably mounted therein for guiding the other part of thecorresponding fall out of contact with the said first sheave, a hookmember associated with each of said housings and adapted to engage thecorresponding boat supporting member, means pivotally connecting saidhook member to its housing, means associated with said housing and withsaid hook member permitting swinging movement to said hook memberrelative to said housing, and means associated with said carriage forchecking downward movement of the carriage independently of downwardmovement of the boat.

4. In an installation for handling a, ships life boat comprising a pairof trackways forming parts of the ships structure and disposedathwartships at an interdistance exceeding the length of the boat, fallsfrom which the boat is suspended, boat supporting members associatedwith said falls, a carriage including wheels adapted to run on saidtrackways and also including a substantially horizontal axle, extendinglengthwise of the boat and having a length exceeding the length of theboat, spaced means supported by the axle and prevented from lengthwisemovement relative thereto for guiding the falls about said axle, saidmeans including elements for suspending the boat supporting memberstherefrom so as to keep the boat out of contact with the ship, and meansassociated with said carriage for checking downward movement of thecarriage while allowing downward movement of the boat when said boatsupporting members are disengaged from said elements.

ADRIANUS VREUGDENHIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,289,046 Hall Dec. 24, 19181,389,869 Hall Sept. 6, 1921 1,613,367 Vreugdenhil Jan. 4, 1927

